Idiosyncrasies / by Sir Humphry Rolleston.

  • Humphry Rolleston
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Idiosyncrasies / by Sir Humphry Rolleston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/128 page 22
    (1) Psychological idiosyncrasies must be distinguished from eccentricities, whether of geniuses or others, for being concerned with abnormalities of manner and conduct, they may merge into mental disorder. Psychical tics of a harmless character might be thought to resemble idiosyncrasies, for example Dr. Samuel Johnson, whose strange gestures and grimaces may be regarded as evidence of habit spasm or a physical tic, was impelled to touch certain posts, to count his steps carefully as he walked along the streets, and even to retrace his steps to complete this duty. But tics are evidence of degeneracy and of a neuro¬ pathic taint, which may, like idiosyncrasies, be hereditary. In a tic there is an irresist¬ ible impulse to do something, whether it be trivial or of a serious nature. In the other direction idiosyncrasies help to make up character by forming distinctive
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